The present invention relates to a catalyst composition for use in a lean NOx trap, and more particularly, to a low cost catalyst composition for use in a lean NOx trap for use in lean-burn engines such as gasoline and diesel engines and to methods of using such a composition.
Environmental concerns and government regulations have led to efforts to improve the removal of noxious combustion by-products from vehicle engine exhausts. Typically, the combustion by-products include carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, sulfur oxides and various nitrogen oxides (NOx). In recent years, lean-burn engines such as gasoline and diesel engines have become more widely used as they offer improved fuel economy. However, because such engines operate under fuel-lean conditions, it is difficult to achieve reduction and removal of NOx in the oxidizing atmosphere of the engine exhaust. One solution to this problem has been the use of lean NOx traps (“LNT”), which typically include a catalyst comprising one or more precious metals such as platinum (Pt), palladium (Pd), or rhodium (Rh), and an alkali earth metal such as barium, and which are provided on a support material such as alumina. The precious metal catalysts are capable of absorbing or storing nitrogen oxides during lean-burn engine operation (where there is excess oxygen) and releasing and converting them when the oxygen concentration in the exhaust gas is lowered.
However, while such traps have been effective in the removal of NOx from the exhaust of lean burn engines, they require high loadings of precious metals such as platinum, which are very expensive. Accordingly, the high cost of such traps has prevented their wide application.
Attempts have been made to develop lean NOx traps with non-precious metals in an effort to reduce costs. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,837,212, which teaches a catalyst for use in a lean NOx trap comprised of manganese and potassium. However, while such a trap has effective NO storage efficiency, the trap does not effectively convert the stored NOx to N2. It is very important for the catalyst materials to exhibit good NOx storage efficiency as well as effective NOx conversion because low conversion efficiency will result in higher NOx emissions. By “storage efficiency,” we mean the efficiency of the LNT to store NOx during the lean period. By “conversion efficiency” we mean the efficiency of the LNT to convert NOx during both the lean and rich periods.
Ruthenium has also been proposed for use as a reducing catalyst component, typically in combination with other precious metals. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,756,057. While ruthenium is also considered a precious metal, it is much lower in cost than platinum and other precious metals. However, although ruthenium has generally been regarded as an effective reducing catalyst for NOx, we have not seen ruthenium being used as a catalyst for a lean NOx trap because its effeciveness for NO oxidation, which is the first step in reactions involving a lean NOx trap, has not been demonstrated.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a catalyst composition for use in a lean NOx trap which is low in cost, which exhibits high NOx storage efficiency, and high (NOx to N2) conversion efficiency.